Leon Edwards Outscore Usman Kamaru Retain UFC Welterweight Champion
At UFC 286 on Saturday, British fighter Leon Edwards defeated Nigerian fighter Kamaru Usman in a grueling five-round contest to retain his welterweight title.
On the judges’ scorecards at UFC 286, Edwards was declared the winner by majority decision.
When they faced off in Salt Lake City in August of last year, he had a fantastic victory over Usman.
To win the title, the Briton spectacularly head-kicked the Nigerian in the fifth round, but Usman was soon given a rematch.
Leon Edwards’ fight this time was on home territory, and the O2 Arena in London greeted him with a hero’s welcome as he entered the octagon.
His nickname, “Rocky,” was cheered by the audience as he circled his opponent in the opening round, selecting his shots and scoring powerful body kicks toward the finish of the round.
Usman, who is renowned for his prodigious wrestling abilities, twice forced Leon Edwards to the ground in the middle of the second round.
But, the Britishman, who was born in Jamaica, always managed to get back on his feet.
Early in the third round, Usman had his opponent on the ground once more. Edwards was penalized for grasping the fence in an attempt to stand up by referee Herb Dean.
The fourth round changed into a cagey contest as Usman pressured and Edwards continued to kick at the body as the two men grew weary.
Attempting to repeat the head kick finish from their previous encounter, he set up the finish.
Early in the final round, Leon Edwards launched that precise kick twice, but Usman escaped unharmed.
Unfazed, Edwards persisted in using a combination of great defensive wrestling, devastating uppercuts, and body punches to eventually stop his opponent.
After an exhilarating three rounds of high-caliber striking from both fighters, American Justin Gaethje defeated fellow lightweight Rafael Fiziev of Kazakhstan by majority decision in the co-main event.
